4. Add to our wiki page on your topic (links below).
Please add to both the Interesting Ideas and Questions & Comments sections.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
Sign your contributions to the wiki by using four tildes (~) followed by your user name - hmoorman Feb 16, 2010hmoorman Digital Nation - Living Faster Digital Nation - Relationships Digital Nation - Waging War Digital Nation - Virtual Worlds
Thurs., Feb. 11 and Wed., Feb. 24: Digital Education
3. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to discuss the story of I.S. 339 (the school that Google changed).
Comment on at least one item from the Technology in our Schools poll.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
Sign your contributions to the wiki by using four tildes (~) followed by your user name - hmoorman Feb 16, 2010hmoorman
6. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to respond to the poll question: What are the obstacles teachers face in using technology in the classroom?
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
(Optional) Post your answer to the What Are the Obstacles page for the world to see :)
10. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to comment on What Games Teach and at least one item from the poll
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
1. Watch the following segments on the merits and drawbacks of technology in education.
Old School, New School (4:35)
Chatham High School students, like many nationwide, are increasingly surrounded by screens. Their teachers debate how to handle their split focus.
Virtual Education (4:35)
While many hail the promise of digital tools in education, test scores have yet to improve, and it's because there are so many easy distractions available. Mark Bauerlein is a professor at Emory University and the author of The Dumbest Generation.
Do Books Have a Future? (5:31)
For Marc Prensky, the author of Don't Bother Me Mom -- I'm Learning, the written word has begun to surpass its usefulness.
Reading More, Learning Less (4:15)
Do online chatting and social networking count as reading, wonders Mark Bauerlein, a professor at Emory University and the author of The Dumbest Generation.
The Tech Fix (4:34)
Technology can help solve some of the educational system's problems, says Henry Jenkins of USC.
Shop Class Computing (1:06)
A game plan for teaching real world computing skills that students can really use in their future jobs. Todd Oppenheimer is a journalist and the author of The Flickering Mind.
Four Corners Discussion
2. Participate in the grid discussion of the following statements:
Every student has a school-provided laptop.
There are no textbooks in the school - only free Internet resources are used for teaching and learning.
The school is entirely paperless.
All websites are unblocked at school for teachers and students alike.
Technology is used every day in every class.
Every student takes a separate technology course.
Students can choose to take online courses instead of F2F courses.
Move to quadrants of the room, based on your opinion about each scenario:
Good for schools/Good for students; Good for schools/Bad for students; Bad for schools/Good for students; Bad for schools/Bad for students
3. Choose one of the topics from our discussion, find a blog or online discussion about that topic, and add your thoughts
Thurs., Feb. 18: Video Games in Education
Digital Nation: Learning - Games That Teach
Viewing and Note-taking
1. Take about 30 minutes to review the following videos about gaming in education.
As you watch, jot down notes in answer to the following four questions:
What Assumptions do these speakers hold?
What do you Agree with in their ideas?
What do you want to Argue with in their ideas?
What do you think teachers and students should do to Act on what they've said?
Video Games 101 (3:19)
James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education, explains how video games like Grand Theft Auto actually can be educational. Gee is a professor at Arizona State University
Don't Game Alone (4:30)
James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education, explains why rich kids learn more from video games than poor kids. Gee is a professor at Arizona State University.
The Supreme Court...Video Game? (1:42)
Sandra Day O'Connor is developing a game for engaging kids with our legal system with James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education and a professor at Arizona State University.
Games That Teach (3:59)
An argument for video games as the future of learning from Marc Prensky, the author of Don't Bother Me Mom -- I'm Learning.
Educational Games Already at Play (2:05)
Schools have been using different kinds of games for years. Video gaming looks like the obvious next step to Henry Jenkins, the Provost's Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts at USC.
Gaming in School (0:38)
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asks, kids love games, so why not use them to teach?
2. Form a group of four students.
Use the Four A's Protocol to discuss your ideas about gaming in education.
Your conversation should consist of four rounds: assumptions, agreements, arguments, & actions.
Spend about 10-12 minutes on each round and make sure each group member gets a chance to share in every round.
As a culminating activity each student created a six-word story of his or her digital life, selected a Creative Commons Licensed image, and contributed a slide to our slideshow.
For the complete lesson plan, please see the March 2nd lesson plan on the Intro to NetGenEd page - Finding & Citing Copyright-Friendly Images; Submitting Six-Word Stories
Table of Contents
as well as the Digital Workshops: Online Resources for Parents and Educators
Tues., Feb. 9 and Mon. Feb. 22: Digital Nation
Feb. 9: Juniors on Civil Rights trip; Feb. 22: Seniors on Washington, D.C. tripIntroduction to Digital Nation
1. Watch the trailer for Digital Nation: life on the virtual frontier from PBS's FrontlineBehind the Scenes of Digital Nation
2. And learn a little about the making of the Digital Nation documentaryWhat Do You Want to Look At?
3. Choose ONE of the Digital Nation topics to explore:Living Faster
Relationships
Waging War
Virtual Worlds
Contribute to the Online Discussion
4. Add to our wiki page on your topic (links below).Please add to both the Interesting Ideas and Questions & Comments sections.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
Sign your contributions to the wiki by using four tildes (~) followed by your user name -
Digital Nation - Living Faster
Digital Nation - Relationships
Digital Nation - Waging War
Digital Nation - Virtual Worlds
Thurs., Feb. 11 and Wed., Feb. 24: Digital Education
Today's lesson is drawn from the Digital Nation: Learning segments and the Digital Workshops: Online Resources for Parents and Educators21st Century Schools: Learning in the Digital Age
Can Google Change a School?
1. Watch How Google Changed a School (7:16)Where Do You Stand?
2. Take the Poll: Where Do You Stand: Technology in our SchoolsOnline Discussion: Can Google Change a School?
3. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to discuss the story of I.S. 339 (the school that Google changed).Comment on at least one item from the Technology in our Schools poll.
IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
Sign your contributions to the wiki by using four tildes (~) followed by your user name -
Social Media in a middle school English classroom
4. Watch the Friending Boo Radley videoVideo Quiz: Digital Media Index
5. Take the Video Quiz: Digital Media Index: Test Your Knowledge about Technology Use in the ClassroomOnline Discussion: What Are the Obstacles?
6. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to respond to the poll question: What are the obstacles teachers face in using technology in the classroom?IMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
(Optional) Post your answer to the What Are the Obstacles page for the world to see :)
Learning in Virtual Worlds
What Games Teach
7. Watch What Games Teach video with James Paul GeeWhere Do You Stand? Games That Teach
8. Take the Poll: Where Do You Stand? Games That TeachQuiz: Games People Play
9. Take the Quiz: Games People PlayOnline Discussion: Games That Teach
10. Go to our Digital Nation - Learning page to comment on What Games Teach and at least one item from the pollIMPORTANT REMINDER: Compose in Notepad or Wordpad, then copy and past into the wiki. Try to only be in the edit mode for a few seconds at a time.
If you have time left at the end of the period, explore other materials on the Learning: how to educate children for the digital age pages of the Digital Nation website and add to the Interesting Ideas and Questions & Comments sections of the Digital Nation - Learning page
Tues., Feb. 16: Technology in Education
View Videos for Background Knowledge
1. Watch the following segments on the merits and drawbacks of technology in education.Old School, New School (4:35)
Chatham High School students, like many nationwide, are increasingly surrounded by screens. Their teachers debate how to handle their split focus.
Virtual Education (4:35)
While many hail the promise of digital tools in education, test scores have yet to improve, and it's because there are so many easy distractions available. Mark Bauerlein is a professor at Emory University and the author of The Dumbest Generation.
Do Books Have a Future? (5:31)
For Marc Prensky, the author of Don't Bother Me Mom -- I'm Learning, the written word has begun to surpass its usefulness.
Reading More, Learning Less (4:15)
Do online chatting and social networking count as reading, wonders Mark Bauerlein, a professor at Emory University and the author of The Dumbest Generation.
The Tech Fix (4:34)
Technology can help solve some of the educational system's problems, says Henry Jenkins of USC.
Shop Class Computing (1:06)
A game plan for teaching real world computing skills that students can really use in their future jobs. Todd Oppenheimer is a journalist and the author of The Flickering Mind.
Four Corners Discussion
2. Participate in the grid discussion of the following statements:Move to quadrants of the room, based on your opinion about each scenario:
Good for schools/Good for students; Good for schools/Bad for students; Bad for schools/Good for students; Bad for schools/Bad for students
Optional Extension
3. Choose one of the topics from our discussion, find a blog or online discussion about that topic, and add your thoughtsThurs., Feb. 18: Video Games in Education
Digital Nation: Learning - Games That Teach
Viewing and Note-taking
1. Take about 30 minutes to review the following videos about gaming in education.As you watch, jot down notes in answer to the following four questions:
Video Games 101 (3:19)
James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education, explains how video games like Grand Theft Auto actually can be educational. Gee is a professor at Arizona State University
Don't Game Alone (4:30)
James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education, explains why rich kids learn more from video games than poor kids. Gee is a professor at Arizona State University.
The Supreme Court...Video Game? (1:42)
Sandra Day O'Connor is developing a game for engaging kids with our legal system with James Paul Gee, a leading proponent of developing video games for education and a professor at Arizona State University.
Games That Teach (3:59)
An argument for video games as the future of learning from Marc Prensky, the author of Don't Bother Me Mom -- I'm Learning.
Educational Games Already at Play (2:05)
Schools have been using different kinds of games for years. Video gaming looks like the obvious next step to Henry Jenkins, the Provost's Professor of Communication, Journalism and Cinematic Arts at USC.
Gaming in School (0:38)
Secretary of Education Arne Duncan asks, kids love games, so why not use them to teach?
If you have time, please read the statistical information here (scroll down) and the 2008 Essential Facts about the Computer and Video Game Industry
Four A's Discussion
2. Form a group of four students.Use the Four A's Protocol to discuss your ideas about gaming in education.
Your conversation should consist of four rounds: assumptions, agreements, arguments, & actions.
Spend about 10-12 minutes on each round and make sure each group member gets a chance to share in every round.
Online Discussion
3. Go to our Digital Nation - Games That Teach page and contribute your final thoughts about video games in education.Digital Nation: Six-Word Stories
As a culminating activity each student created a six-word story of his or her digital life, selected a Creative Commons Licensed image, and contributed a slide to our slideshow.For the complete lesson plan, please see the March 2nd lesson plan on the Intro to NetGenEd page - Finding & Citing Copyright-Friendly Images; Submitting Six-Word Stories